Pressure nodule apparatus



P 10, G w. BATCHELL ET AL PRESSURE NODULE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1, 19 38s Sheets-Sheet 1 l /MW m 5 ,Z. 0 0 0 0 00 000 oe ooo o o o Q TWO XQ oo ooo o oo Sept. 10, 1940.

G. W. BATCHELL ET AL PRES SURE NObULE APPARATUS ,Filed Aug. l, 1938 sSheets-Sheet 2 U M/ 5 17 57? F- =5 Sept. 10, I94Q cs. w. BATCHELL ET AL2,214,191

PRESSURE NODULE APPARATUS I Filed Aug. 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3llllllllllllllllliflllllllllllllllul 16916916) 0 Q Q Q 6 l l l l l I l ll lll llilllllllllllllll Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,214,191PRESSURE NODULE APPARATUS George W. Batchell, Wilbur S. Mayer's, andFranz G. Schwalbe, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to The, Frangeo Company,Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 1, 1938, SerialNo. 222,374

2-Claims. (01. 49-63) This invention relates to the grouping coherenceof fines as a mass and constituents for a melt.

This invention has utility when incorporated as a pre-formed supply moreor less vitreous mass for glass furnace or cupola' furnace to be theingredients as combined for the melt.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, showing anembodiment of the invention for the manufacture of nodules for a glassfurnace whether the glass be for mold, blown, or fiat product;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of features of the linkageshowing the pocket opening means;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of oneof the nodules as formed by themachine;

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged view along the pockets as press forming thenodules;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in plan of the forms or the pockets;

Fig. 6 is a view of the take-off portion from the nodule formingconveyors;

Fig. Tis a view of the features of the drive connections between theconveyors;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIIIV]II, Fig. 4, showing the compactingrelations of the plunger elements in the pockets; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view oithe plunger element in which the number ofparts is reduced.

Dry mixer I groups the elements of sand, lime, lead, soda ash, cullet,and other fines for melted glass, which may be brought by elevatingconveyor 2 and dumped into mixer 3 (Fig. 1). In this mix may beestablished a suppression of the dust through the medium of a bindingelement, whether such be water glass, or in the instance of milk oflime, lime water, or hydrated lime, if

such be in liquid form. This added moisture from supply duct 4 may becontrolled by valve 5 and discharge of the mixer 3 driven from the shaftB-by belt I.

From this mixer 3 there may be delivery spout 5 8 to pan 9 operated byvibrator l0. There is thus efiected shaking uniformly continuousdelivery from this pan 9 of the mix having bonding agent therefor toflow uniformly into pockets ll. These pockets II have wall section i2rising 50 therefrom, while therebelow are eyes l3 completing this linkelement of the pan carrying pins.

l4 with rollers i5, one at each side of the chain or horizontal reach ofthe conveyor, to travel on track l6 carried by supports II. Thisconveyor 55 upper reach extends from idler sprocket wheel 18 on shaft i9positioned adjacent the supply pan 9 to sprocket wheel 20 on drive shaft2!. Actuating this shaft 2! is motor 22 having transmission connection23 (Figs. 6 and '7) thereto. This shaft 2! has gear wheel 24 thereon inmesh 8 withsimilar gear wheel 25 on shaft 26 to drive sprockets-21actuating sprocket chains having links 28 between rollers 29. r Theselinks 28 through elements 28' carry pins 38 upon which hang brackets '3lhaving cap 10 screws 32 mounting packer elements 33 (Figs. 4 and 8) toenter the respective pockets l i These brackets 39 remote from thepockets ll have lugs 33 in recesses 35. permitting swinging joint actionon the shaft as limited by adjustable set screws 33 on opposite sides ofthese lugs 36. For this coaction, the presser elements 33 ascomplementary to the pockets II have tapered side portions 3'5 againsttoo close clearance with beveled sides 38 of the-pockets ll. 20

This sprocket chain comprising the links 28 between the rollers 29 hashorizontal reach extent from the sprocket 2'! to'idler sprocket wheel 39on shaft lfi. These shafts 26, 40; are carried by the frame il in fixedposition relatively to 25 the pocket-carrying conveyor.

Also anchored on this frame I1 is pivot pin 6! (Fig. 4) from whichextends horizontally pressure applying arm 42 having inclined lower facet3 to act on the rollers 29, thereby progressively 30 to direct the pathof these rollers in bringing the presser elements 33 into the pocketsH,' after these pockets pass around the wheel l8,--ajndfby way of guideM at rollers 30 are allowed'gradually to enter the respective pockets MThis 35 holding arm is of the general direction of=the;,-. reach of theconveyor chain directly therebelow and bearingon the rollers 29 in thenature of a self-laying track holder, termed in motor vehicle practice,of the so-called caterpillar type. 40

'As this travel in the upper reach of the pocketcarrying conveyor clearsthese presser elements 33 from the. guide 44, the arm 42 is effectiveand its pressure spring means 45 adjusted by nuts 46 on stem 41. As thisarm length becomes shorter 5 toward the pivotal mounting 4|, thepressure action gradually increases in the forcing of the packerelements 33 into the pockets ii. In this continuous operation, as therollers 29 clear this pressure arm 43, lifter incline 48 is effective at50 rollers 30 gradually to urge the elements, 33 clear of the pockets! Iso that as the'upper reach of the pocket-carrying conveyor continuesto'its terminus, the pockets Il may have the sides thereof spread, aspassing about the sprocket wheel 20 and thereby free the pocket so thatuncom iacted mass 49, as initially entering the pockets, may ascompacted mass be rolled from the pocket to fall on take-off conveyor 5|as driven by sprocket wheel 52 from the shaft 2|. This conveyor 5| maytransport the formed press-molded nodule of glass melt sections to thefactory floor adjacent the furnace or for storage in a bin ready toprovide dustless charging material into the furnace. This means thatsilicosis and dangers from glass factory dust are materially minimized,if not absolutely eradicated, and there is a resultant efliciency inuniformity of melt as predetermined for the ingredients with an economyin the firing.

In lieu of the brackets 3| there is shown (Fig. 9) bracket 53 on the pin30 coacting with special link 54 having clearance 55 for lugs 56allowing for the suilicient swing or automatic alignment of plungercompacting or packing element 51 into the pocket as coming into packingposition and also for the lifting therefrom as well as clearing of thepocket as the pressing action is completed. It is important that thiscompacting or packing plunger face member 33 and 51 be resistant toabrasion action of the special in-- gredients, particularly when, asherein, the lumps or nodules are of the elements for glass melt. Thisabrasive resistant member for the plunger as well as for the pocket isto be effective in. the duration of life for performance hereunder. eventhe handling of the vitreous mass for glass manufacture. This meansthat, in addition to the strength or compacting, there is a generalhardness at least as to surface finish, or resistance to abrasion.

In this operation of the machine, in subjecting to this range ofpressure it is important to avoid working of this grit into thebearings. Accordingly, the rollers l5 (Fig. 8) have overhanging flanges58 into which extend the sleeves 59 and links l3 on the bearing pins H.Furthermore, these sleeves 59 have grooves 60 under this overhang, 58tending to direct any passage of grit away from the end of the sleeveand away from the roller but to be thrown clear of working into thebearing.

The packing element carrying conveyor is one which, due to the grit orabrasive character of the supply material and the desire to have' suchbrought into effective packing relation, involves nicety for registrytherebetween. To such end the respective shafts 26, 40, may be adjustedby shaft adjusting means SI for the desired nicety in this control. Thiscompacting is desirably one conducted with the state of the materialapproaching that of molding sand in a foundry, that is, there is abinder content which under the extremes of pressure high per squareinch, brings about a compacting short of oozing out for creating asticky mass but effective to produce a hard smooth surface on thisnodule. This assures that the character of the mix as dry assembled orcompacted in this nodulizer is one which maintains the ingredientsagainst segregation. There is thus a reliable character for the .melt tobe effective, insuring an economy in fusing due to the voids between thenodules giving definite exposed surface areas as distinguished from dustblanket portions.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Pressurenodule manufacturing apparatus more particularly foringredients in the manufacture of glass,'said apparatus comprisinglinks,

locating the plunger means normally for a reach spaced from and parallelto the upwardly open pockets, a rigid opposing sustaining holder for thehorizontal reach of the chain, thereby to lock the mold pocketstherealong in closed position, a positive guide for directing theplunger means to rock relatively to the device and be selfcentering inentering into the pockets as locked closed by the holder, for initiallycompressing the material into the pockets, and pivoted arm controllingmeans operable further to increase the extent of travel of the plungermeans into the pockets by thrusting the plungers in succession andgradually deeper into the pockets during the continuation of theprogress of the pockets along the reach, thereby to reduce still moresaid voids by compacting the material.

2. Pressure nodule manufacturing apparatus more particularly foringredients in the manufacture of glass, said apparatus comprisinglinks, pivot pins connecting the links to form an endless series chain;said respective links being shaped to form a pair of oppositely facingpocket sections in an upwardly open horizontal reach of said chain, thepocket section of one link as toward the pocket section of the adjacentlink being complementary thereto at abutting position therebetween andshaped to provide. an outwardly flaring entrance to the pocket forreceiving a supply of granular material having voids between thegranules thereof, pivotally mounted plunger means, a mounting chaindevice locating the plunger means normally for a reach spaced from andparallel to the upwardly open pockets, a rigid opposing sustainingholder for the horizontal reach of the chain, thereby to lock the moldpockets therealong in closed position, a positive guide for directingthe plunger means to rock relatively to the device and be self-centeringin entering into the pockets as locked closed by the holder forinitially compressing the material into the pockets, pivoted armcontrolling means operable further to increase the extent of travel ofthe plunger means into the pockets by yieldably thrusting the plungersin succession and gradually deeper into the pockets during thecontinuation of the progress of the pockets along the reach, thereby toreduce still more said voids in said pockets, and yieldable adjustingmeans coacting with the free end of the pivoted arm controlling meansfor thereby forcing the plunger means into the pockets.

GEORGE W. BATCHELL. WILBUR S. MAYERS. FRANZ G. SCHWALBE.

